The Basics (continued):
Next we see the top and bottom edges of the camera. On the top (below left image) we find the power button and microphone, while on the bottom (below right image) we find a serial number decal and a threaded hole for a tripod. Of interest is that the camera can be powered up/down manually, but it rather conveniently turns itself on when the screen is hinged open, and then powers back down when the screen is closed again.
The next set of images show the battery compartment door removed. In the below left image we see the empty camera, as it was delivered. In the below right image we see the Lithium Ion battery in place, as well as the 8GB SDHC card provided by Geeks.com. The camera is extremely lighweight when empty, but even with the memory card and battery installed it weighs less than my usual digital camera or smart phone.
The screen on the HDV-188 has an impressively wide range of motion. It can be hinged and pivoted into a number of positions to make filming a variety of subjects convenient, and it can even be configured to work like a typical PMP (portable media player). The first set of images show two possible positions.
The below left image shows the screen spun 180 degrees from where it was in the above right image, which makes it useful for filming yourself (like a webcam). The great thing is that the image on the LCD is also rotated 180 degrees so that the image is always right-side up, no matter which way the screen is pointing. While we will see a better example later in the review, the below right image basically shows the device in the position I used for media playback. The only difference would be to lay it flat so the screen is pointing up in a 16:9 orientation. Like this you can keep the HDV-188 in the palm of your hand while enjoying widescreen audio/video playback.
